Male Pattern Boldness is proud to be the world's most popular men's sewing blog!

Jan 14, 2014

Hey, do you remember these mustard jeans I made last October?
Well if truth be told, I haven't worn them because I never hemmed them -- until today, that is. Do you ever get 99% finished with a project and leave it sitting because you don't get around to the final 1%? It doesn't happen to me often but it does happen.

I turn the hem up 1/2" and press, then another 1/2" and topstitch from the outside.

In other news, there's a new pattern in my life, won yesterday on eBay for a whopping 6 cents. And I wasn't the only bidder! The bidding started at 1 cent and it seems the other person bidding wasn't willing to pay a nickle more for it. Thank you, eSnipe!

When I'm not hunting down 1940's evening gown patterns, these days I'm thinking about Japanese silhouettes and patterns/pattern books, and this Issey Miyake pattern from the late Nineties has a pleasingly androgynous look I like a lot. I know it's been made by Mimi over at Shop the Garment District. Hers, below, in a wool/cashmere blend, came out gorgeous.

In other news, I just borrowed the recently published book Audrey in Rome from the library. It's mainly lots of black and white photos of Audrey Hepburn through the decades when she was either filming in Rome, visiting Rome, or living in Rome. Most are candid, paparazzi-style shots, but Audrey looks effortlessly elegant in all of them. She just knew what suited her (and having Givenchy as your couturier helps).

This isn't a great book by any means and the quality of the printing is not very high, but if you're an Audrey Hepburn fan, you might enjoy it. As for me, while I appreciate Audrey Hepburn a great deal, I often find myself frustrated at how often she was cast as Cinderella opposite men much, much older than she, like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Fred Astaire and, of course, Rex Harrison. My favorite film of hers is Two For The Road where she gets to play a grown up (albeit one without a job) with some personal agency opposite someone roughly her age (Albert Finney).

Still, there's no doubt that she was a genuine style icon and projected real warmth. We could use a few Audreys today.

32 comments:

Two for the Road was a rather dark movie, but I liked it, and I agree with you that it was good seeing Audrey not playing an ingenue. This was colored by the fact that she was in a romance with Albert Finney at the time (that did not last).

Two for the Road is a favorite of mine, too. I liked that her clothes were rather ordinary (though she wore them with great style—as always). Roman Holiday is also a favorite too. Maybe for the same reason that she’s dressed like an ordinary girl--and she got to buzz around Rome on a Vespa with Gregory Peck.

I love her as a style icon but I warm less to her as an actress overall. I agree with you, she gave one of her best performances ever in"Two for the Road" but a close favourite of mine is "Wait until Dark" simply because she was sort of cast against type and some moments in the movie really leave you on the edge of your chair!

I love her coats - I'm a big believer in sewing a coat wardrobe… having tons of shape and color to pick from! Two for the Road is the only AH movie I can stomach, because it reminds me so much of my mother and step-father's relationship. Not sure if that is a good thing or not!

I agree; it was easier to dress when "matchy-matchy" wasn't a swear word. Dress and shoes; skirt and blouse (and shoes); blouse and pants; they either actually matched colorwise, were different colored solids, or were simple solid bottoms with print tops. How hard is that? Girls in my high school looked pretty good with that style foundation.

Audrey Hepburn is living proof that it's terribly easy to be well dressed - all you have to do is own only beautiful clothes and have a perfect figure. Amazing that more people haven't figured it out...

I think "Roman Holiday" is one of most well-crafted comedies ever made, and one of the best things about it is how the costumes reinforce Audrey's character's growth, even though she's wearing the same outfit during most of the movie. She starts out wearing a schoolgirl's blouse with a bow and a circle skirt, which gets modified throughout the day--she loses the bow and opens the neckline, the sleeves get rolled up, she gets her hair cut, she gets new roman sandals... the costume refinements reinforce the idea that her character is growing up as the day goes on. Edith Head was a genius in terms of making the stars look good while revealing the character.

Just finished watching Audrey, James Garner and Shirley MacLaine in "The Children's Hour on TCM. James Garner is closer in age to her, but I just can't see them together. I, too, am a "Wait Until Dark" fan.

Favourite Audrey movie would have to be Sabrina followed by Roman Holiday. Audrey is believable as Sabrina, the script is really funny and those Givenchy clothes (that dress!). William Holden, John Williams and Walter Hampden were fabulous in their roles. I think Cary Grant was a better choice to play Linus. Unfortunately he pulled out at the last minute.

I love Charade, closely followed by Sabrina and My Fair Lady. I'll never be a style icon like her; unfortunately my lifestyle doesn't support that sort of look, but I can appreciate her effortless looking beauty.

I love your jeans! That issey miyake pattern is gorgeous too! My favourite Audrey film is probably Charade though funny face comes close (even though the romance between her & Fred Astaire is pretty unconvincing the music is just so good!)

My favourite Audrey Hepburn film is Roman Holiday, which I love. I also like Sabrina, but I only like her in it because the men are too old to be realistic. I saw the remake before the original, and prefer it.

I have never watched an Audrey Hepburn film, and discussions like these make me think I probably should. I just never really got interested in older movies, or movies in general if I'm honest. The stories are too short. :-(

I am a fan of that coat pattern, though. I'm a fan of different coats for different needs/outfits and I can't wait to get into making them. :-)

I love Audrey! Such an elegant, altruistic, classy woman. We could definitely use a few more Audrey's around. My fave is Breakfast at Tiffany's. Such a cliche, I know, but the scene with "Cat" in the rain at the end gets me every time... Plus, that black dress in the opening scenes? Iconic.

Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany's for me. B@T makes me want to go to New York and mooch for a year, and Roman Holiday did the same for Rome (although when I got to spend an afternoon there, it didn't look the same somehow...)

I worked on a new tuxedo for myself for three months. Now it sits in my closet waiting for me to finish the buttonholes. That's it just the buttonholes. I know I won't need it until May, but it's just nine freaking buttonholes.

a boy, a dream, and 10+ sewing machines

I'm a native New Yorker and sewing fanatic! I started sewing in 2009 and today make all my own clothes using vintage sewing machines and vintage patterns, in addition to sewing for private clients. Welcome to the warm and whimsical world of Male Pattern Boldness, where the conversation is sewing, style, fashion, fabric, and more!